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SMD importer/exporter for blender, Updated Oct 27th

by Bobcatben Posted 28th Aug 2007 at 2:05 PM - Updated 27th Nov 2013 at 9:09 PM by Nysha
 
99 Comments / Replies (Who?) - 91 Feedback Posts, 7 Thanks Posts
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Lab Assistant
#2 Old 28th Aug 2007 at 10:19 PM
Am I stupid or something, because I don't understand what this does exactly.
Can someone explain it for me?
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#3 Old 28th Aug 2007 at 10:55 PM
its for making meshes in blender that can be imported into the sims 2.
Test Subject
#4 Old 28th Aug 2007 at 11:42 PM
Thanks Bobcat! I haven't run into this problem yet myself, but as they say...

It is better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it!
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#5 Old 29th Aug 2007 at 12:05 AM
besides bypassing the problem i had with objs, smds allow you todo body meshing with bone weights(with objs you cant add or remove vertices's when body meshing cause objs do not support anything but mesh's)
Lab Assistant
#6 Old 29th Aug 2007 at 12:48 AM
I'm a MS3D guy, but this is really a great add-on for those who do use Blender! Thanks!
Inventor
#7 Old 29th Aug 2007 at 7:27 AM
I'm still trying to learn to mesh... x_x An if I put this in can I still use the standard tuts?
!@_o!

At my final resting place
!@_o!
Test Subject
#8 Old 29th Aug 2007 at 10:29 AM
wow! i think i love you
that's so great, i've waited so long for someone to make this, and now you did it! you're my hero!
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#9 Old 29th Aug 2007 at 2:25 PM
Quote: Originally posted by BlueIzumi
I'm still trying to learn to mesh... x_x An if I put this in can I still use the standard tuts?
!@_o!


probably, it super simplifies the process of putting the mesh ingame/getting a mesh out with blender tho, down to mainly just, export the smd, and import into simpe, or export the smd from simpe, and import into blender.
Test Subject
#10 Old 29th Aug 2007 at 4:20 PM
could you recommend a good tutorial that shows how to attach the vertices to the bones?
i don't know exactly how to make it and then i don't know which vertices belong to which bone...

nelde
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#11 Old 29th Aug 2007 at 5:18 PM
to parent a mesh to bones select the mesh, then the bones and do ctrl+p i think it is, and select parent to armature, then select "name groups".

that will attach the mesh to the bones, then it creates vertex groups named after each bone, you can then add vertices's to the groups with weights, you can also use weight painting.

there is a video tutorial for weight painting in blender here
Field Researcher
#12 Old 29th Aug 2007 at 6:48 PM
Nelde, i was wondering the same thing, but was afarid to ask. -I'm relatively new to blender- Thanks so much for this, Bobcatben, i can't wait to try it out.
Test Subject
#13 Old 1st Sep 2007 at 4:05 PM
I'm not sure if it's a problem on my end or something with the files themselves, but when I tried to extract the plug-ins, WinRAR gave me two errors:
-Cannot create import_smd.py
-Access is denied

I had to get them out with copy/paste. Anyways, I haven't had time to test them, but they look promising Thanks so much for making these, they will definitely come in handy!
Test Subject
#14 Old 1st Sep 2007 at 6:11 PM
Thank you for this. I've often wanted to try my hand at meshing, but 1) didn't have the cash to shell out for 3DMAX/Maya/etc. 2) already knew and liked Blender, and 3) like you, I hated exporting .obj files, especially with UV maps. Great job!
Field Researcher
#15 Old 1st Sep 2007 at 6:18 PM
This is a great plug-in, but I have a question.
How would you regroup? Do you know of a tutorial? Thanks again for this.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#16 Old 1st Sep 2007 at 8:00 PM
regroup?, like the vertex groups?
Field Researcher
#17 Old 1st Sep 2007 at 9:45 PM Last edited by simgirl9089 : 1st Sep 2007 at 10:07 PM.
Nevermind, I think I know what I did.
Test Subject
#18 Old 2nd Sep 2007 at 8:17 PM
Okay, I installed the plug-ins and decided to try them on a kitchen counter. I imported the counter mesh with the skeleton, made my new mesh, then parented and assigned it to the skeleton properly. Then after I export my new mesh with the skeleton (I've tried export with the mesh and the skeleton selected, both at once or only one of the two) and try to import it into SimPE, it gives me the error "Index was outside the bounds of the array."

Is there something specific that causes this, or again is it an error on my part?
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#19 Old 2nd Sep 2007 at 8:27 PM
selected or not doesn't make a difference with it, it finds the first armature with a mesh, or if that fails, it finds the first mesh. make sure your not in edit mode, i think the script pops you out of it but im not sure,
if it still errors pm me and ill pm you my email and you can send me the smd and ill look it over.
Instructor
#20 Old 3rd Sep 2007 at 9:14 AM
I'm not qualified in meshing, but I thank you very much for whatever you've been doing to adapt free programs for TS2.
3D program makers are charging a fortune for a copy. I've been taking a look on some programs and get muscle cramps only by thinking on start. Anyway everything sounds obsolete born. I know by experience that learning a lot of stitch here, sew there mean nothing in terms of learning. A well developped program is self understanding and on the end it will be just a matter of mouse clicks on pull-down menus.
Thanks for your efforts, no matter if I self cannot enjoy at the moment. It will sure contribute for a new better road.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#21 Old 3rd Sep 2007 at 2:36 PM
atomic_hamsters, the problem is likely with quads, sims 2 only uses triangles, i forgot to put a error condition in the exporter if the mesh has any quads in it, the mesh should be converted to triangles before export, by going in edit mode, selecting all(A button), and hitting ctrl + T.
Lab Assistant
#22 Old 3rd Sep 2007 at 7:15 PM Last edited by adele_0 : 4th Sep 2007 at 6:19 AM.
Default help?
Hey bobcatben. Basically, you're awesome for making this. I've been so frustrated at the fact that I would have to shell out cash if I wanted to mesh anything, especially when blender is (in my opinion) obviously superior to milkshape, plus... it's FREE!
EDIT: removed images and info about weight issue because the problem was my own dumb mistake
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#23 Old 3rd Sep 2007 at 8:14 PM
it likely has something todo with the weights, as at first my importer wasn't importing the 1st weight on each vertex, and i was getting similar things happening to the entire body, theres a weight paint mode in blender that might help to see the weights you have etc.
Lab Assistant
#24 Old 3rd Sep 2007 at 9:40 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Bobcatben
theres a weight paint mode in blender that might help to see the weights you have etc.


Thanks, I'll try that right now. :D
Lab Assistant
#25 Old 3rd Sep 2007 at 10:18 PM
So.... I'm completely confused. I have no idea what the weights are supposed to look like. Do you know of a weight painting tutorial that I could look at? Or is this a simple thing to fix? I'm a total nooB at this weight stuff.
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